Rolling mill



Feb. 16, 1937. E. E. MOORE ROLLING MILL 2 sheets-sheet 1 Filed May 2,' 1953 .50W/N 5 MOORE,

Feb. 16, 1937. E. E. MOORE 2,071,212

ROLLING MILL Filed May 2, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Epl/WN E". MOO/QE,

Patented Feb. 16, 1937 PATENT OFFICE ROLLING IMILL Edwin E. Moore, Gary, Ind., assigner to American Sheet and Tin Plate Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application May 2, 1933, Serial N0. 669,043

10 Claims.

This invention relates to metal strip cold rolling mills of the type having the strip arranged in a coil from which it is fed through a stand of rolls and recoiled. The operation may be reversing or not, and there may be more than one stand of rolls, in which case they will work in tandem.

Ordinarily the strip is coiled directly on spindles arranged adjacent both sides of the rolls and parallel their axes. 'I'hese spindles rotative speeds are controlled so that the strip enters and/or leaves the rolls under tension. When the rolling of a coil is finished it is removed by laterally sliding it from whichever spindle it happens to be on, this depending on the number of passes necessary to attain the desired gage and whether the mill reverses or operates in one direction.

The above is satisfactory when gages are heavy, Widths are not great and the strip tensions are not suflicient to cause the coils to grip the spindles too tightly.

However, the rolling of wide metal strip to light gages and under heavy tensions is now being practiced, and the coiling of the strip directly on spindles has proven impractical because the coils grip too tightly, while the strips edges are too fragile to permit the application of removal forces.

To meet the new conditions, modern mills are provided with coil-centers which directly carry the strip coils and are bored for application to the spindles. That is, the strip is coiled on these coil centers to form units which may be slid on and 01T the spindles, the coils gripping these centers instead of the spindles.

Although this practice is generally effective, the great weights of these units necessitate their handling by unwieldy tractors or overhead cranes, this being slow, expensive and dangerous. An- 'other objection is that the great strip tensions now being practiced sometimes create compressive forces which a coil center cannot withstand without partially collapsing, causing it to grip its carrying spindle so that it can only be removed by the use of excessive force, and often only by uncoiling the strip it carries. f

Operators of mills of the type being discussed encounter still another difliculty. This is the maintenance of the parallelity of the spindles with respect to the working rol1s,-the heavy strip tensions being suiiicient to force these spindles from their desired positions.

Two methods have been used to meet this difficulty. One is the setting oi the spindles at slight angles and depending on the strip to draw them sleeves l i.

parallel, and the other is the structural bracing of the free ends of the spindles.

The rst method may be considered an expedient only, and has met with but partial success. The second method requires removable bearings carried by gate structures or the like so that the coils may be removed. These swinging structures are generally pivoted on the roll stand housing and must be very massive in construction. Naturally, they form undesirable obstruction to the mill operators in the conduct of their duties.

'This brief summary of the strip cold rolling art is advanced as an aid in the appreciation of the present invention.

One of the objects is to handle rapidly the strip coils, whereby the continuity of rolling operations is more nearly attained. Another object is to Y mount the coils so their axes parallel those of the working rolls without incidentally obstructing the mill operators to any great extent, and to obviate the objectionable feature of a coil gripping its carrying spindle. Further objects include the provision of a generally new mill and rolling method.

, The remainder of this speciiication illustratively discloses a specific form of the invention as required by the patent statutes, it being understood that the inventive scope is to be limited only as dened by the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan of a mill embodying the present invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation.

Figure 3 is a detail. A

Figure 4 is a cross-section from the line IV-TV in Figure 3.

0n each side of a i-high roll stand is a reel drive consisting of a. gear box 2 and a motor li. These gear boxes 2 mount fluted stub shafts Il, instead o the customary spindles.

The metal strip is carried on reels which each have journal ends 9 individually provided with permanently attached mounting bearings It. 'I'he journal ends are luted so they may be connected to the stub shafts il by internally fluted These sleeves may be slid back and forth on the stub shafts il.

Heavy hook-shaped brackets l 2 mount the reels 8, by their bearings Il), parallel to the working rolls of the stand l. These brackets are suitably braced from the roll stand and have their open faces arranged away therefrom.

Tracks i3 are arranged to register with the open faces of the brackets I2 so that the reels may be easily rolled thereinto. The track: are

spaced to carry the reels by their mounting bearings, these being externally flanged and circularly surfaced to form what are, in effect, wheels. Preferably, the reels are prevented from free rotation by suitable locks I4 during their movement over these tracks. This may be necessary to prevent them skewing.

The tracks I3 may be prolonged somewhat on one side of the mill proper and stops I5 provided. This forms a storage rack for reels of rolled strip. The tracks on the other side may be interrupted by right angular tracks I6 which carry a rough coil box I'I coupled to a reel carriage I8. A rough coil magazine I9 for hot strip may then be alined With these tracks, and other tracks 2U arranged parallel thereto and offset from the first tracks. By proper construction the mobile units may be Y pushed back and forth so that the rough coil box for the rollers guidance.

I`I can receive rough coils from the magazine I9 and feed them for their rst pass through the mill, or the carriage I8 may be moved into registration with the first section of the tracks I3 to receive one of the reels 8 and carry it into registration with the second set of tracks 20.

In explanation of the above, these rough coils are those received from the hot strip mill and must be given their first pass through the mill for tight coiling on a reel on the other side. The rough coil box II is not specifically described because it may be constructed in the usual manner of those now being used.

The various movements are preferably effected by power, although they might be performed manually. For instance, the mobile rough coil box II may be provided with a driving motor 2|, and a pneumatic pusher 22 may be alined with the tracks 20 to discharge the reels from the carriage I8.

It might also be here mentioned that pneumatic pushers 23 are preferably arranged to discharge the reels from the brackets I2, and that suitable latching mechanisms 24 be provided these brackets to prevent the reels accidental displacement while being coupled to the shafts 4 and 6 and their carried strip fed through the mill.

The brackets I2 on both sides of the mill may be supplied with empty reels by raising and lowering tracks 25. These may also carry the empty reels by their bearings Ill, and are suitably pivotally mounted above the tracks I3 by standards 26 for swinging movement of their free ends into registration with the faces of the brackets I2. They may be swung by any means, pneumatic motors 2l being illustrated merely as a suggestion. These tracks 25 may not only feed empty reels to the brackets I2 when needed but may also receive empty reels therefrom.

Other details may include fluid cooled rolls 28 arranged on either or both sides of the mill I to contact the passing strip. This will keep down the strips temperature 'and prevent the usual troubles arising when it exceeds that of the working rolls. Suitable gage indicating means 29 are also preferably provided on both sides of the mill Such means may be flying micrometers, which may be arranged between thecooling rolls and the working rolls so that the increase in the coils size will not affect their setting.

Preferably, the operator of this mill is provided with duplicate controls 30 which he may con- 32 built over the driving spindles of the mill I.'

It is to be noted that the entire mill consists of duplicate parts on either side of the roll stand and grouped equally on either side of the center line thereof. Duplicate platforms and pulpits are provided for the mill operator because it is desirable that he be located so he may watch the outgoing metal to determine whether rolling operations are progressing satisfactorily.

The reels 8 must, of course, be provided with some means for clamping an end of the strip to be carried thereon. Preferably, this means comprises a longitudinal slot 33 in which a jaw 34 is fitted. This jaw has a number of cam surfaces 35 on one of its sides which are engaged by cam surfaces 36 on the side of a longitudinally movable bar 31. When the bar 31 is moved the jaw 34 will be moved circumferentially in the reel and eifectively clamp the end of the strip between itself and the side of the slot.

Operation of the mill is substantially as follows:

The mobile rough coil box I1 is moved into registration with the magazine I9. A rough loose coil of strip is then rolled from the magazine into this box and its end fed through the mill proper I. The elevated swinging tracks 25 on the other side of the mill are then lowered and an empty reel rolled into the bracket with which it registers. The latch 24 serves to hold this reel in place and the end of the strip may be placed between the side of its slot 33 and its locking jaw 34. Movement of the bar 31 to move these locking jaws may be accomplished by striking it with a heavy object.

Now the strip is given its first pass through the roll stand and is tightly coiled on the empty reel. Preferably, tension is applied to the exiting strip by properly controlling the speed of the motor 3 driving the receiving reel, this effecting the desired tight coiling.

When the above pass is completed an empty reel is placed in the right hand bracket I2 from the tracks 25 there, and the end of the strip aiixed thereto. 'I'he strip is now given a reverse pass and tightly coiled onto this second reel.

The strip is now given a number of passes back and forth from one reel to the other, until the desired gage is attained.

Preferably, the motors 3 are constructed so they may act as brakes for the delivering reels, whereby the strip tensions are balanced on both the entering and exiting sides of the roll stand I.

That is to say, when one motor is operating to draw the strip from the working rolls the other motor acts as a drag and thus balances the strip tensions. This diminishes or eliminates lateral displacement of the working rolls, such as is prevalent when heavy tensions are applied to the exiting strip only.

The motors 3 may be Wired for dynamic braking or to act as generators, this last enabling a current saving because the motors may then be circuited to help powerthe motor driving the roll stand.

'I'hese various operations may all be performed automatically by proper circuit arrangements effected by skilled mill electricians.

If the strip is given an odd number of passes the finished coil will be located in the left hand side of the mill. If this is so the latch 24 of the bracket is withdrawn and the pusher 23 operated to kick the loaded reel onto the tracks I3 over whichit rolls to its end.

If the strip has attained the desired finished gage by having received an even number of passes it will be located on the right of the mill and is unloaded by a similar procedure onto the right hand tracks I3. Here the rough coil boxj l1 is in the way. However, by operation of the motor 2i it is moved out of the way and the reel carriage I8 moved to a place where it can receive this reel. The motor 2| is again operated and the reel carried by this carriage into registration with the oiset tracks 20. The pusher 22 is then operated to discharge the reel onto the tracks 20 Where it may remain.

In either of the above instances the loaded reels are stored in out of the way places where they await the convenience of a craneman. If it is desired 'to carry them further these tracks may be prolonged and the reels rolled thereover to other desired points. During all this rolling the reels locks I4 are operated to prevent individual rotation of the bearings and reels.

It is obvious that the foregoing operations may be altered to suit diifering conditions and that the reels, whether loaded or unloaded, may be moved about 'generally without mutual interference and without the need of a crane and its attendant dangers. Also, the continuity of the rolling operations is practically unbroken in the loading of successive strip lengths, because the various changes may be effected so rapidly.

I claim:

1. The combination of a stand of cold rolls, a plurality of reels individually provided with mounting bearings and constructed to carry metal strip in coiled form, means on either or both sides of said stand for mounting said reels by their bearings for passing their carried strip through the stand, means for receiving and storing said reels from said mounting means, and means for delivering said reels to said mounting means, the third named means being arranged above the second named means at a suincient height to permit functioning of the latter.

2. The `combination oi.' a stand of cold rolls, a plurality of reels individually provided with externally wheel shaped mounting bearings and constructed to carry metal strip in coiled form, means on either or both sides of said stand for mounting said reels by their bearings for passing their carried strip through the stand, tracks arranged for the rolling carriage of said reels ,by

Itheir mounting bearings and registering with said mounting means, and elevated tracks arranged above the rst named tracks so as to carry said reels and at a suiiicient height to permit said rolling carriage of the latter.

3. The combination of a stand of cold rolls, a plurality of reels individually provided with externally wheel shaped mounting bearings and constructed to carry metal strip in coiled form, means on either or both sides of said stand for mounting said reels by their bearings for passing their carried strip through the stand, tracks arranged for the rolling carriageof said reels by their mounting bearings and registering with said means, and raising and lowering tracks also arranged for the previously described carriage of said reels and also registering with said mounting means when lowered.

4. The combination of a stand of cold rolls, a plurality of reels individually provided with externally flanged and circularly surfaced mounting bearings and constructed to carry. metal strip in coiled form, mounting brackets arranged on either or both sides of said stand and constructed for the lateral reception and engagement of said reels bearings, tracks registering with said mounting brackets and arranged flor the rolling carriage of said reels by their mounting bearbearings and pivoted at elevated points for swing- ,ing motion of their free ends into registration with said mounting brackets.

5. The combination of a stand of cold rolls, a plurality of reels individually provided with externally hanged and circularly surfaced mounting bearings and constructed to carry metal strip in coiled form, means on either or both sides of said stand for mounting said reels by their bearings for passing their carried strip through the stand, tracks arranged for the rolling carriage of said reels by their mounting bearings and leading away from registration with said mounting means, raising and lowering tracks also arranged for the previously described carriage of said reels and registering with said mounting means when lowered, means alined with said tracks forholding metal strip in loosely coiled form, other tracks arranged similarly to the others and oiset therefrom parallel to said means, means for rotatively mounting said loosely coiled metal strip movably interposed between said lrst named tracks and said means for carrying metal strip in loosely coiled form, and means for carrying said reels from a point between said rst named tracks and carrying means for metal Astrip in loosely coiled form to a point registering with said other and oiiset tracks.

6. The combination of a stand of cold rolls, a plurality of reels individually provided with externally flanged and circularly surfaced mounting bearings and constructed to carry strip in coiled form, mounting brackets arranged on both sides of said stand and constructed for the lateral reception and engagement of bearings,

tracks arranged for the rolling carriage of saidV reels by their mounting bearings and registering ywith said mounting brackets, and other tracks pivotally mounted above said rst tracks for swinging movement into registration with said mounting brackets and arranged also to 'carry said reels as described.

'7. The combination of a stand of cold rolls,

a plurality of reels individually provided with exwith which the latter is alined, means for ro-l tatively holding metal strip in loosely coiled form removably arranged between said magazine and the track set with which it is alined, means for carrying said reels from said tracks alined with said magazine to said tracks arranged parallel therewith, and other tracks pivotally mounted above said tracks registering with said mounting brackets and arranged for swinging motion of their free ,ends into registration therewith.

8. A strip mill comprising a xed coil box, two parallel conveyers, one of which is in alinement with said coil box but spaced therefrom, and transfer means for shifting devices laterally of said conveyers and relative to said coil box.

9. A strip mill comprising a ilxed coil box, two parallel conveyers operable in opposite directions for respectively supplying devices for said coil box and for transporting devices removed from said coil box. and transfer means for shifting devices from alinement with the supplying conveyer into alinement with the other conveyer.

10. A strip mill comprising a. xed coil box.

a transfer car movable into and out of alinement with said coil box for supplying coil devices thereto. and two parallel conveyers having terminal portions adjacent the path of movement of said car for respectively supplying coil devices to said 5 car and receiving coil devices therefrom.

EDWIN E. MOORE. 

